Moscow urges BRICS countries to support Russia's new plan for security in the Persian Gulf, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting of the BRICS foreign ministers.
He continued by saying that Russia is urging Iran to show restraint and that Tehran is adhering to the treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the agreement on guarantees with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"The situation with Iran is a cause for serious concern ... We are calling on our Iranian colleagues to show restraint. We want to remark that they still diligently adhere to the NPT treaty, the comprehensive safeguard agreement with the IAEA and its additional protocol", Lavrov stated.
According to the Russian foreign minister, it is "counterproductive to demand that Iran unilaterally keep its commitments under the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], when other participants, our Western colleagues above all, do not do that".
"We are urging the European troika to recognise its responsibility for maintaining the 'nuclear deal’, keeping their promises on the development of economic ties with Iran without any obstacles", the minister said.
The statement comes after the Russian Foreign Ministry on 23 July proposed plans to organise an expert conference in September on the topic of promoting security in the Persian Gulf.
The main principles underlying the concept are a step-by-step approach, multilateralism, and strict observance of international law, primarily in regards to the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions. The future strategic task outlined in the document is the creation of a system of joint security efforts and cooperation in the Persian Gulf with equal involvement from all the states in the region, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Tensions in the region escalated last week when Iranian forces seized the UK-flagged Stena Impero oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that links the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf. The incident has been condemned by a number of Western states.
The incident was allegedly Tehran's response to the seizure of an Iranian tanker by UK Royal Marines and the authorities of Gibraltar on 4 July. The oil tanker, Grace 1, was suspected of violating EU sanctions against Syria.
US Plan to Put Weapons in Space Can Trigger Global Arms Race
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went on to say that Russia is concerned over Washington's plans to put weapons in space, as this may result in a new global arms race.
"We are concerned over US plans that are already being implemented to put weapons in space, which will result in a new round of the global arms race", Lavrov said at a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers.
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on the margins of the G20 in June, where they discussed a range of issues, including reviving arms control talks. Both sides exited the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty earlier this year.
